"Going out into the light... is that really possible?"
Even with my confident words, they did not erase the look of doubt in their eyes. It was natural that they could not believe it. Because the related laws were not properly established yet, anyone could do private lending.
However, after the IMF crisis, the private loan market would be legalized under the pretext of bringing the underground economy to the surface. Aiming for that time, I was planning to bring Grandfather's business into the light as well.
"Yes, it is possible. Just wait and see."
At my words, Twin Blades Kim Ho-sik stood up from his seat, bowed, and spoke.
"Then I will follow you, Young Master. In a few years, my daughter will be old enough to know what is what, and wouldn't it be better to be called the boss of some company rather than a loan shark?"
I nodded my head. But No Ik-seon remained still without answering until the end, as if he was weighing his options.
"Then, I will only wait for Boss No's answer."
I said that and left the place. In the car moving away from the office, I twisted the corners of my mouth and smiled slightly. If Boss No did not intend to follow until the end, I could just dispose of him according to the original plan.
At the time Kim Mu-hyeok was meeting the Myeon District bosses. Chairman Cheon was talking with Cheon Su-man in the study.
"Yeah, things must be hectic lately because of the real-name financial system, right?"
"That is right."
Chairman Cheon, who nodded as if he understood, carefully observed Cheon Su-man's face and continued speaking.
"Have you gone to see Su-han a bit?"
"I could not go often, but I visited him twice. When are you planning to get him out? His face looked very haggard."
Chairman Cheon furrowed his brows with an uncomfortable expression.
"It is difficult right now. He should be able to come out by next year, so tell him to endure and stay put."
Cheon Su-man replied that he understood, while thinking inwardly. 'So he is planning to get Su-han out next year.' In fact, he did not have much loyalty toward his younger brother, but it was very uncomfortable to have Cheon Su-han, whom he ordered around like his own hands and feet, locked up.
Cheon Su-man began to ponder in his head if there was a way to get Cheon Su-han out quickly. The conversation between father and son paused for a moment. Chairman Cheon looked at the lost-in-thought Cheon Su-man with a disapproving gaze.
"You are not still chasing after politicians' tails, are you? Can you not tell even after seeing what happened to Su-han? Why do you not listen when I tell you to keep a proper distance."
"Phew... How can I do the loan shark business without the protection of politicians? It is possible for you with just words because you have had ties with them for such a long time, Father, but I cannot do that. What if you pass away like this?"
Chairman Cheon stared at Cheon Su-man with a surprised face. The child who had never once raised his temper at him was now raising his voice only as he neared the age of 50. "You punk!" As Chairman Cheon's voice grew louder, Cheon Su-man, who had momentarily talked back, flinched and read the room.
But he did not shut his mouth completely.
"I have to think about the time after you are gone, Father."
"Why are you worrying about that. Do you think I will die that easily? Do you want me to die quickly?"
"No... why would you say such a thing? I want to make sure my children get at least half of Ilseong. I am preparing in advance right now with the intention of doing everything I can to achieve that. You do not even care about Ji-won and Ji-soo, do you, Father?"
"Why would I not care about my grandchildren. And why are you so hung up on Ilseong? What do you possibly lack."
"It might just be Ilseong to you, Father, but it is important to me."
"What?"
Cheon Su-man spoke with an emotional expression.
"Outside, I am just your son, Father. Chairman Cheon's son, Chairman Cheon's bloodline. I do not have my own name. That is why I want to hand over the name of Ilseong to Ji-won and Ji-soo."
Chairman Cheon looked at Cheon Su-man with pitiful eyes and remained silent. At that, Cheon Su-man became even more emboldened and shouted.
"Look at you even now. You never look for Ji-won and Ji-soo, but you always keep Mu-hyeok by your side, do you not?"
"...Did Mi-sook not pass away."
"She was the younger sister who left the house to marry a man you opposed, Father. You were the one who cast her out. Do not pretend to care about her now."
"Ha..."
Letting out a sigh, Chairman Cheon erased the expression of looking at him with pity.
"Yes, you might be right."
"I have always lived my life keeping your words, Father. I even married the person you told me to. But in the end, are you not overly protecting Mu-hyeok?"
Cheon Su-man's face was red as if he was filled with spite.
"Do you know what rumors are circulating in Myeon District? They say Mu-hyeok is your successor, Father. Does that even make sense? When I, the eldest son, Cheon Su-man, am alive like this! A child with the surname Kim, not even Cheon, is being called the successor."
Chairman Cheon, who was only listening, let out a hollow laugh.
"When did I ever tell you to succeed me? Why do you naturally think that you are my successor? I have never once said such a thing to you."
At those words, Cheon Su-man's expression distorted.
"What..."
"Yes, the rumors circulating in Myeon District are correct. I plan to leave my position to Mu-hyeok. I will leave enough for you all to live without problems, but all the power, money, and people I have will go to Mu-hyeok."
"Father!"
"What is the problem? I am simply passing down what is mine."
Eventually engulfed in anger, Cheon Su-man began to speak the words he had been holding back until the end.
"Always, you have always been like this, Father. Whenever Su-han or I made a small mistake, you would get angry, but you were endlessly generous to Mi-sook. If you were going to be like this, why did you even have us?"
"What?"
Chairman Cheon opened his mouth wide, dumbfounded. Cheon Su-man did not shrink back like usual and snapped at Chairman Cheon.
"You should not do this to me, Father. No, you cannot do this to us brothers. I am the eldest son of the Cheon family. Ji-won is the eldest grandson. But you are making Mu-hyeok the successor? A child who is merely twenty?"
"Did I not say I would pass down enough to you too? It will not be lacking."
"I do not need money. I must have everything you possess, Father."
Cheon Su-man revealed his raw greed. Looking into those blazing eyes, Chairman Cheon lost his words.
"I will never let it be like that. Never..."
With those final words, Cheon Su-man turned around and left the study. The door to Chairman Cheon's study closed roughly. Seeing Manager Ha standing in front of the door, Cheon Su-man asked.
"...Manager Ha, do you share the same thought?"
Manager Ha bowed his head without answering. After glaring at the back of Manager Ha's head for a long time, Cheon Su-man left the place without saying another word. Manager Ha, who entered the study, quietly observed Chairman Cheon's complexion.
The iron-blooded king of private loans stood by the window looking like an old man full of regret, watching Cheon Su-man's car move away from the mansion. Chairman Cheon, who had been blankly staring for a long time, suddenly asked Manager Ha.
"...Am I thinking about this wrong?"
Manager Ha did not answer. Chairman Cheon, who had his palm on his forehead, spoke only after a long time had passed.
"Phew... Finish all the stock transfer work by next month. So those guys cannot say anything else. Be careful not to let the rumors spread, and pay all the taxes without any problems. Make sure to handle it perfectly, so there is absolutely no noise later."
"Yes."
"Also, surveil those guys..."
Chairman Cheon stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth.
"...Never mind the surveillance. What is Mu-hyeok doing?"
"He is meeting with the Myeon District bosses."
"Alone?"
"He said he would meet them alone, so I did not go with him. Boss Cheon also came to visit. My job is to assist you, Chairman. The Young Master comes after that."
Chairman Cheon nodded heavily.
"What about the child you were going to introduce to Mu-hyeok? It is no longer the time for him to go around alone."
"I am told he will arrive in Korea next month."
"Is he trustworthy?"
"Yes. However, winning his heart is not something I can control."
"Right, that is something Mu-hyeok himself has to do. I understand. Do you have anything else to report?"
"I do not."
"You may leave."
Manager Ha left, and left alone in the study, Chairman Cheon muttered into the empty air.
"I hope there will not be a situation where Mu-hyeok has to devour his maternal uncles..."
Chairman Cheon knew better than anyone that there was no such thing as family in the face of money.
Han Gyeong-yeong, who wrapped up his life in Korea, left for America for preliminary preparations. I was attending university and spending an ordinary daily life.
"Hey! Mu-hyeok!"
"Huh?"
"What are you thinking about that you are not answering even after I've been calling you for a while?"
"Sorry, did you call me?"
Myeong-soo, who was glaring at me, sighed and spoke.
"I am going to take the first round of the bar exam next year as practice. I am not thinking of passing this time, but I need to check how the exam works."
I nodded my head.
"Right, I guess I will take the exam together with you then."
"Huh? You are taking it too? Why?"
"Just because you might get nervous alone?"
"Crazy bastard. You are just trying to make me feel discouraged by passing all by yourself."
"Haha."
"Do not just laugh. Are you really taking it together?"
I nodded my head at those words. At first, I had no intention of taking the bar exam. It was because the time spent at the Judicial Research and Training Institute felt like a waste.
Now, my thoughts have changed a bit, but...
"Yeah, I will only take the first round. If I take it up to the second round, Grandfather might say something else, so I am just doing it so he can brag to other people that I passed the first round. The same goes for my grandmother."
"Ha, what bullshit. Are you starting with the premise that you will naturally pass? You are a fucking annoying bastard."
Just then, I heard a voice calling us.
"Mu-hyeok, Myeong-soo!"
Stopping my steps and looking back, I saw two guys and a girl waving their hands at us. They were one of the reasons I chose the law department.
"Where are you two going?"
Oh Hyeon-woo, the tallest and most energetic among the three, spoke first. Oh Hyeon-woo was the eldest son of a prestigious legal family. His grandfather was Oh Jeong-seok, who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and was respected by legal professionals.
He was the person who was nominated as a candidate for Prosecutor General before I died.
"We are going to grab some food. Are you guys going to eat too? Should we go together? What do you think, Mu-hyeok?"
When I nodded, Myeong-soo grinned.
"Mu-hyeok is treating us today. Let's strip this bastard right down to his underwear!"
At those words, the other three burst into laughter.
"Why are you laughing. Are my words funny?"
Han Min-gyeong, the only girl in the group, smiled and spoke.
"Myeong-soo, can you not fix your dialect? Mu-hyeok is completely like a Seoul person."
"Geez, I told you not to say anything about my dialect!"
Han Min-gyeong laughed out loud and waved her hand dismissively.
"I am not teasing you. It is because it is cute."
"Stop it, what are we going to eat?"
Yoon Jae-ha, who was standing quietly, naturally changed the subject and spoke. Yoon Jae-ha was the son of Yoon Hyeong-min, the representative of one of the top three law firms in our country. The five of us drove our respective cars and headed to a family restaurant.
We all parked our cars and gathered in front of the store.
"Is Mu-hyeok not overdoing it?"
In the 1990s, family restaurants had a strong luxury image. Because the price of the food was quite expensive compared to other restaurants.
"The most useless worry in the world is worrying about Mu-hyeok. Let's hurry and go in."
Myeong-soo took the lead and pushed the others' backs as they entered the restaurant. 'If someone saw this, they would think he was the one paying.' Well, he is not entirely wrong though.
I clicked my tongue and followed Myeong-soo into the restaurant. Orange lamps hung from the ceiling, and the dark green walls were filled with small picture frames. To my eyes, it was a quite vintage-looking interior.
After each of us ordered what we wanted to eat, Myeong-soo brought up the bar exam topic we were talking about earlier.
"Are you guys preparing for the bar exam? Mu-hyeok and I are going to try taking the first round of the exam next February. I am just doing it for practice, but since Mu-hyeok is such an outstanding bastard, I think he will pass it in one go. The relative sense of deprivation is real."
"What, Mu-hyeok, you are going to take the bar exam?"
Everyone's eyes turned toward me. I smiled and spoke.
"For now, I am also thinking about taking it once for practice. What about you guys?"
At that, Oh Hyeon-woo and Yoon Jae-ha also answered that they were taking it. Han Min-gyeong shrugged her shoulders with a slightly bitter face.
"I am going to pass on next year. I am not in a situation where I can solely focus on studying like you guys."
She was the only one whose family situation was not good, so she was doing several tutoring jobs while attending school. Perhaps because of that, after passing the bar exam, Han Min-gyeong enters the legal profession as a lawyer and dives into politics in her 30s.
In her 40s, she would even rise to become the floor leader of the ruling party. Just as the atmosphere was about to get a bit heavy, Myeong-soo changed the subject.
"What did you guys do during the vacation? Mu-hyeok and I went to Busan. But this bastard just left me all alone and went to Seoul by himself. Rotten bastard."
"I have never been to Busan..."
At Min-gyeong's words, Myeong-soo immediately replied.
"Let's go together with us this winter vacation. What do you all think?"
Right then, my cell phone rang.
"Give me a second."
I stood up from my seat and went outside to answer the phone.
"This is Kim Mu-hyeok." — It is No Ik-seon, Young Master.
It was a call from No Ik-seon, who had not yet answered my proposal.
< Chairman Cheon and Cheon Su-man. > The End